1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switch circuit used for radio frequency communication system's devices for use in a mobile phone, a WLAN, or Bluetooth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, several systems, such as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), are used for the mobile communication system for mobile phones and other devices.
The TDMA system is used for GSM (Global System For Mobile Communications) and PDC (Personal Digital Cellular). EGSM (Extended Global System For Mobile Communications) and DCS (Digital Cellular System), which are based on GSM, are used primarily in Europe. GSM850 (Global System For Mobile Communications 850) and PCS (Personal Communication Service) are used primarily in the United States. On the other hand, PDC is a system used in Japan.
Examples of small-sized, complex radio frequency circuit devices used for the multiple communication systems described above are as follows: dual-band radio frequency module used for a mobile wireless handset for EGSM and DCS, a triple-band radio frequency module used for EGSM, DCS, and PCS, and quad-band radio frequency module used for GSM850, EGSM, DCS, and PCS.
FIG. 1 shows the transmission (TR) frequencies and the reception (RC) frequencies of transmission/reception systems that are processed by the radio frequency circuit device. In the radio frequency circuit device described above, the frequency bands are allocated as follows. For GSM850, the frequency band of 824 to 849 MHz is allocated as the transmission frequency, and the frequency band of 869 to 894 MHz as the reception frequency. For EGSM, the frequency band of 880 to 915 MHz is allocated as the transmission frequency, and the frequency band of 925 to 960 MHz as the reception frequency.
For DCS, the frequency band of 1710 to 1785 MHz is allocated as the transmission frequency, and the frequency band of 1805 to 1880 MHz as the reception frequency. For PCS, the frequency band of 1850 to 1910 MHz is allocated as the transmission frequency, and the frequency band of 1930 to 1990 MHz as the reception frequency.
Today, to process multiple communication systems with one mobile wireless handset, a complex-module circuit is implemented using a radio frequency circuit device that uses a filter for passing the frequencies described above and a radio frequency switch for switching the transmission/reception circuit.
There has been a requirement for a complex-module circuit as well as for a small-sized, lightweight mobile wireless handset and this requirement, in turn, creates a requirement for a small-sized radio frequency circuit device. However, an increase in the integration of a radio frequency circuit device narrows the spacing between the circuits, causing a problem of insufficient isolation between the circuits.
An insufficient isolation between the reception circuit and the transmission circuit in the front end part in the system of a mobile wireless handset sometimes causes damage to the LNA (Low Noise Amplifier) or a malfunction in the IC. In general, the stable operation of the system requires the isolation of 35 dB or higher.
However, a front end module using a standard radio frequency switch, such as the one shown in FIG. 2A, provides an isolation of about 30 dB as shown in FIG. 2B in the frequency band of 1850 to 1880 MHz where the pass bands are overlapped, for example, in the band area where the PCS transmission band and the DCS reception band are overlapped as shown in FIG. 1.
Technologies for providing isolation when pass bands are overlapped are disclosed, for example, in JP-A-2004-147166 (Patent Document 1), JP-A-2005-101762 (Patent Document 2), and JP-A-2004-140696 (Patent Document 3).
Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a configuration in which a third switching circuit SW3 is added between a reception circuit and a reception output terminal or a reception filer as shown in FIG. 3 to provide isolation. According to the technology disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, switching is performed in two stages, first switching circuit SW1 and third switching circuit SW3, at transmission time to prevent the transmission signal from being leaked into the reception circuit or the reception filter.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a radio frequency switch circuit using a PIN (Positive-Intrinsic-Negative) diode, while Patent Document 3 proposes a front end module, an antenna switch module, etc., that improve isolation using a semiconductor switch, for example, a field-effect transistor switch such as a GaAs (Gallium Arsenide) switch or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) switch.
However, the third switching circuit SW3 described above, which is added to provide isolation, increases the circuit size of the front end part and prevents a reduction in the circuit size. At the same time, the devices added to configure the third switching circuit SW3 increases the cost.